It is predicted that we will need 60% more food worldwide by 2050 to feed our expanding global population.

As well as affecting the environment and contributing to climate change, agriculture is also one of the sectors most affected by climate change… According to estimates compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), by 2050 we will need to produce 60 per cent more food to feed a world population of 9.3 billion. Doing that with a farming-as-usual approach would take too heavy a toll on our natural resources. Thus, we have no choice but to embark on a greener revolution.  United Nations ‘Feeding the World Sustainably’ José Graziano Da Silva is Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Finding effective, reliable and sustainable solutions for farmers

Agriculture is a multi-billion-pound global industry that’s amongst the most innovative in the world. But climate change, impact on the environment and evolving consumer preferences continue to create new pressures for producers.

Finding effective and reliable solutions to these challenges that work across a wide range of farms, animals, soil types and climate zones involves significant amounts of research and development activity. It also requires the use of facilities specifically designed to allow researchers to measure and analyse data – ideally in as close to real-life systems as possible. This is where CIEL, together with our wider family of UK Agri-Tech Centres, comes in.

Careers in agri-tech

Many jobs and new roles are being created, many of which do not necessarily require a farming background. Naturally, agri-specific posts such as agronomists need to understand a farming environment, however, interest, attitude and enthusiasm are of equal, if not greater value combined with a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) background covering software development, data science, AI, engineering.

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£90 Million Government Investment

The UK Government, through Innovate UK, has invested almost £90 million of government funds in CIEL and its sister Centres for Agricultural Innovation. These investments have developed new infrastructure and research capabilities that will address many of the existing and new challenges facing UK agriculture. Each Centre works alongside some of the best research institutions and most innovative companies in the world, all of whom are equally committed to investing in the right people, research and technology to discover new ways to help transform UK food and farming.

Having world-class research capability won’t solve the myriad of agri-food sector challenges overnight. It will, however, ensure that relevant solutions continue to be developed to emerging opportunities and threats facing the sector.

Continued agri-tech innovation will provide new growth opportunities for organisations supplying agricultural markets, ensure a long-term future for proactive UK farmers, and help guarantee the availability of nutritious and affordable food for all whilst preserving the planet’s health and wellbeing for future generations.

Together, the four Agri-Tech Centres aim to:

• join up existing excellence and invest in new innovative resources and research that don’t exist elsewhere
• address challenges that no one part of the sector can address alone
• open up opportunities for transformational change
• position the UK as a global leader in sustainable food production.

Funded as part of the Agri-Tech Strategy  launched in 2013 as part of a £150 million commitment to UK Agriculture by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Find out more about the vision, aims and impacts of the Agri-Tech Centres at www.agritechcentres.com

In addition to working with BEIS, CIEL works across Government Departments such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department for International Trade (DIT), the Department for International Development (DFID), and the Department of Health and Social Care. We help leverage funding opportunities and offer a voice for our Members to help ensure important industry issues are addressed at the highest level.